ANGUL: Development seems a far cry for around 120 families of Tulka village located in Satkosia Tiger Reserve who continue to be deprived of basic amenities like safe drinking water, health facilities, electrification, roads and education.
Situated 15 km from Purunakote and 65 km from Angul, the village that came up in 1958, is home to around 800 residents who eke out a living by engaging in agricultural activities. But all got affected as elephants destroyed crops leading to heavy losses. Some villagers used to collect minor forest produce and earn a livelihood but that was hindered after declaration of the area as a tiger reserve. Lack of roads forces the locals to walk for miles through dense forests to reach Purunakote for fulfilment of basic needs. Besides, the power supply too continues to elude the villages due to their location in the core area.
“We live a life of deprivation without food as most of our crops get destroyed, and other basic facilities. Since we have no alternative sources of income, we had asked forest authorities for relaxation of rules or to rehabilitate us but our repeated complaints have fallen on deaf ears,” said Mayadhar Naik, villager of Tulka. Contacted, DFO Saroj Panda said that restrictions in the core area prevent any sort of development in the village and the only option is to relocate the villagers. “A proposal for relocation has been put forward and we are waiting to hear on the same,” added Panda.